CRM Press releases on the drama of the public school of Ekoudou, the death of Mr. Jean NGA MVONDO and the organized escape of Mr. Basile ATANGANA KOUNA

The CRM has learnt with dismay of the tragedy at Ekoudou Public School, following a scramble that occurred as students sought to enter a room where a performance was taking place. This jostling has caused many casualties. The provisional death toll stands at five (05), with about fifty (50) children admitted to hospital emergency rooms.

The CRM sends the grieving families and school teachers its sincere condolences.

This tragedy raises the problem of the quality of school infrastructures, their insufficiency and their inappropriateness. How can we justify that our schools are not equipped with showrooms to accommodate children in the minimum comfort befitting events of a certain importance?

This is an opportunity to call on the public authorities and private developers on the need to provide our schools, colleges and high schools with gymnasiums and other appropriate settings to allow our children to practice sports and recreational activities in an appropriate and enjoying all the security measures.

It is unfortunate that the Minister of Basic Education herself did not come to show the Government’s compassion at the scene of the tragedy, and that the CRTV chose to treat this unfortunate event as secondary information.

The Ekoudou public school incident should get the State to take all necessary measures to strengthen security in all schools in the country, in order to protect our children and families from this kind of desolation which, after all, could have been avoided.

N°2: On the Violent Death of Mr Jean NGA MVONDO after a Visit to the Gendarmerie Brigade of NGOUSSO

The CRM has learnt with horror the circumstances of the death of Mr Jean NGA MVONDO, taxi driver, after a tumultuous passage at the gendarmerie brigade of Ngousso in the night of 19-20 March 2018. First, the CRM, its militants and sympathisers extend their deepest condolences to the victim’s family and professional corporation.

Subject to the results of the investigations, the CRM appeals to Gendarmerie officials, and more generally security forces, about the drift that has been observed for some time in their ranks, particularly through the abusive and excessive use of force. The proliferation of such incidents across the country increases the feeling of insecurity among our compatriots, even though they are supposed to feel protected in the presence of the law enforcement and defence forces.

It is urgent not only that such abuses be severely punished under the investigations to be conducted with due diligence, but that the training of security forces in our country finally incorporates the moral competence.

On the escape of Mr Basile ATANGANA KOUNA under the noses of the police sleuths

Militants and sympathisers of the CRM have learnt through the newspapers that the sulphurous former Minister of Water and Energy, Basile ATANGANA KOUNA, removed from office during the ministerial reshuffle that occurred on March 2, 2018 and banned from leaving the national territory, still managed to find the path of exile.

This incredible case exposes the flaws and weaknesses of our country’s security system. Indeed, how can top security officials, who know how to mobilise the means and men to spy, intimidate or even terrorise political opponents to the regime, explain to Cameroonians that an individual suspected of serious economic crimes against the people could, despite all the police warnings, even made public, escape so easily to safety, without benefiting from high-level complicities?

Out of respect for the Cameroonians, but also to make sure that the people regain confidence in their police institutions, the General Delegate to the National Security, the Secretary of State in charge of the National Gendarmerie as well as all the directors of the intelligence services must resign or be dismissed from their duties by the Head of State.